I Said It Out Loud
by Megwill
Summary: What if Pam Numan did hit her target when Brennan was singing "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" up on stage?


Tears streamed down her face as Booth held her now limp body which had collapsed on the stage. He had shot Pam Numan, but not in time. He kept pressure on Brennan's chest and brushed her hair out of her face.

"It's going to be okay Bones. Hang on for me. You are going to be just fine." His eyes were frantic almost matching hers. He turned around and yelled to anyone who would listen, "Where is the damn ambulance!"

Brennan's world was fading and blurry, but she could make out Booth. She kept her eyes glued to her partner, concentrating on living. Though, it was hard and Booth watched as her eyes fluttered shut. He shook her as he yelled, "Don't you leave me here alone Bones. Damn it! Stay with me! Bones!?"

Her breathing was growing shallow and Booth was growing frantic. Brennan knew she had to open her eyes. She did and then made out a barely audible noise. Booth leaned closer to her and she repeated her words in hitched breaths. Her warm breath brushed against his ear and neck. "I love you…" her breathing was getting lower and her speech was raspy. "…and I even said it out loud." She cracked a sad smile in the midst of their raging hell, but he couldn't return it.

He looked into her glossy eyes which were actually smiling back at him through her tears. A sad smile, but a smile, then her smile fell and her face crumbled, "Don't…don't let me go Booth." Tears streamed down her face and he felt his eyes becoming bloodshot as well.

"No never, I gotcha baby, it's going to be okay. I gotcha Bones." Booth said, but he was becoming blurry and then it was too much for Brennan and her eyes fluttered shut.

"Stop Bones, don't you dare say your goodbyes. Don't you dare!" He continued on and Angela and everyone else stare on as he cursed the universe.

"Damn it Bones! He repeated, "I love you too Bones! Stay with me! I gotcha baby, it's going to be okay. Damn it Bones!" Everyone in the bar could hear him and just watched the sad scene take place. It was a pitiful scene to watch as Hodgins basically drug Booth away from Brennan so the paramedics could get to her.

Booth had slept by her bedside at the hospital through the night. The paramedics were able to resuscitate her. Once at the hospital she had been rushed in for emergency surgery. The bullet had almost hit her heart. All he knew was it was another close call. Too close.

Brennan awoke to a sleeping Booth, his head rest on her arm his hand was lightly holding hers in his sleep. Her arm was asleep, but she didn't have the heart to wake him. She only watched him sleep peacefully; his breathing a comfort to her. Its familiar cadence relaxed her. Forty five minutes passed with her just staring at his sleeping figure before he woke.

His eyes locked onto hers almost in amazement. Words had become lost on him. "Hi." Brennan whispered with a slight smile.

"Hi." Booth smiled back. Did she remember what she had said? It would make sense if she didn't.

Brennan looked at Booth's hand still holding hers. He followed her eyes which were glancing at their hands. She looked back up at him and he patted her hand and then started to remove it from hers.

"Booth?" her voice was a child's whisper.

"Hhmm Bones?"

"Please don't let go." She looked around the room and then held his gaze a moment. Inhaling she looked at their hands. "I made a mistake Booth." She exhaled, "I almost died. I did die but in those last moments all I could think of was you Booth. I just wanted you to know, know how I really felt."

"I never let go." Booth brushed his thumb lightly across her hand gently squeezing it.

"I knew you wouldn't." She smiled a small shy crooked smile.

"I never will." Booth confirmed aloud what they both already knew. He took his free hand and brushed her cheek with it. "I love you Bones."

Her eyes pooled at those three words and a single tear fell. "I'm scared Booth."

"I know." Booth said as he watched her mind race.

"I don't have an open heart like you do Booth. Besides I was irrational when I told you -"

"Stop talking Bones. Just, just stop for a second." Booth said as he watched her retreat into herself.

"Booth, what happened, what I said. It would be easier if we just forgot about it. There is a reason I'm alone." Brennan's voice was meek, a scared little girls voice. "I'm comfortable that way." She shrugged trying to hold back tears.

"Yes, yes it would be easier Bones." Booth said, not buying anything she said.

Her eyes hung on his as tears fell. "I'm scared."

"It's okay." Booth reassured her, her hand still in his.

He leaned in and met his lips to hers. She was hesitant at first, but soon the ember ignited into a flame as their lips came together again. When they parted, both were smiling, "I'm very sure Bones." Said Booth

Brennan looked up at him smiling through her tears. Though, unlike last night - this time she was happy. "Good, because I didn't want you to leave, Booth, I love you too." She admitted and Booth chuckled.

He smiled and leaned in to kiss her forehead. "I know. Now get some more rest and I will be here when you wake up."

"I know." Brennan said smiling through glossy eyes. "Booth?"

"Hhhm?"

"I have to admit I liked kissing you very much." Brennan whispered giving him a lopsided grin. "I always have."

Booth smiled as his canyon eyes collided with the sweetest kaleidoscope blues he'd ever seen. They were still wet with tears and the added fact that she had on no makeup made her look vulnerable and full of childlike innocence.

"Is that your way of asking for a goodnight kiss Dr. Brennan?"

"Booth?" Brennan whispered.

"Yes Bones?"

"I like when you call me Bones best… No one else calls me that." She confessed meekly her tears subsiding.

Booth leaned in and met his lips to hers once more mumbling between their kiss, "And I like…being the…only one that…calls you that." Booth smiled as he kissed the woman he loved.

He thanked God that she not only lived, but that she lived to tell him those three little words aloud. Those three words, when said aloud, took courage, a lot of nerve and were always risky. She had risked it all and now as she slept Booth brushed her hair out of her face as he remembered the tears streaming down her face in the bar last night. Her blood on his hands and the words she whispered in his ear as she smiled a sad smile through tears on the stage.

"I won't ever let go baby, It's alright now Bones I gotcha." Booth whispered to her sleeping form. Feigning sleep, Brennan smiled snuggling her head deeper into her pillow. She had even said it aloud. She smiled a little bigger and fell into a peaceful sleep, her heart in his hand.

* * *

I'm not sure of this one...idk up to you guys, obviously. I just honestly I don't know if I really was feeling it.


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